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b.
28 Dec. 1858
at
New Quay, Cards.
, son of
JohnJones
,
shoe-maker
, and
Elizabeth
his wife. He left school at 11 and after
tending sheep
became a
cabin-boy
on the smacks
Elizabeth
and
James and Mary
, trading between the southern seaports of
Wales
and
Ireland
. In
1874
he was dismissed his ship for breaking crockery. He then entered the
Towyn grammar school
(
New Quay
), and, in
1876
, the
Presbyterian College
,
Carmarthen
. He was ordained
minister
of
Gwernllwyn
,
Dowlais
(
1880
), and later ministered to
New Bethel
,
Cwmaman
(
1885-1906
), resigning to become
Home Missioner
under the
Union of Welsh Independents
, an office which he held
until 1912
. In
1920
he was the
chairman of the Union
.
Between 1885 and 1912
he developed into one of the great
preachers
of his denomination, and became a leading figure on the
Liberal
platform, in close alliance with
T. E.Ellis
and afterwards with
DavidLloyd George
. In
1912
he became
Member of Parliament
for
East Carmarthenshire
, in
1917Welsh Whip
and
Junior Lord of the Treasury
. From
1918
he represented
Llanelly
in the
Coalition Parliament
, resigning his seat owing to ill-health in
1922
. He d.
16 Nov. 1925
at
Ammanford
.